Wednesday, April 11, 2012

While there have been an endless number of new games that have come on the market since my childhood, I'm always glad to see a classic receive a makeover and make a comeback. Who doesn't enjoy seeing a familiar face regain popularity with a whole new generation of kids and families?

And, from traditional board games for the whole family to innovative, handheld games for one, no one knows how to better bring the fun and entertainment of gaming to our lives more than Hasbro.

The world leader in family and adult games, Hasbro has long been committed to providing entertainment solutions for cost-conscious parents in search of family friendly activities. Is the laughter of game night complete (or possible) without Hasbro? I don't think so!

This spring, Hasbro has found a way to get kids up and moving with the addition of Bop It! XT to their collection.

Taking the original follow-the-commands game to a new level, Bop It! XT challenges participants to bop it, pull it, twist it, flick it, spin it, and shake it quickly enough to keep up. The combination of thinking fast while correctly following the commands tests each player's skills and speeds and is sure to provide plenty of laughter as the tempo increases.

While Bop It! XT is recommended for ages 8+, I knew that its nonstop action would be something that even Big Sister E (at age 5) could enjoy. Sure enough, when the game arrived, she was brimming with excitement over getting a chance to try it out.

With the three AAA batteries included and installed, all we had to do was remove this unique circular game from the box and we were ready to play. The colorful knobs, handles and buttons were a great match with the whimsical music and irreverent commands and it was immediately difficult to not get addicted to trying to keep up with the fast pace.

As this game is designed to be shaken, twisted, and pulled, I hardly gave Big Sister E any explanation as to how to play before handing it over. All she needed to know was which action went with which piece and she was grinning away!

As Bop It! XT can be played in a variety of modes (Solo, Pass It, Party, and One on One) all it takes is a pull and a tap and it begins calling out the six different actions in random order for each player. Simply respond as quickly as possible and if you get it right in time, you'll receive the next direction. But if you are too slow or perform the wrong move, your turn is up. The more commands you correctly follow, the faster they are called out!

Requiring a good deal of concentration and memory, I was concerned that Big Sister E would be easily frustrated if she couldn't meet the quick reaction time or remember each move correctly. However, I was happy to be quickly proven wrong, as she has continued to stay engaged and motivated each time she has picked up Bop It! XT. Each round has only resulted in her laughter over trying to meet the challenge and score more points!

When she walks into the room, this game is definitely one of the first things she heads for, simply to give it another try. I have to admit that I've found myself getting a I can do better, let me just give this another try feeling as well and heading over for another shot at greatness.

I really appreciate that Bop It! XT has three volume options as well as a headphone jack, which allows for quiet play or even bringing this along for travel. This version also offers novice, expert, master, and pro levels (which require things such as remembering sounds and colors associated with the different moves) which are unlocked by scoring 100 points. While we haven't been talented enough to get to higher levels yet, I love knowing that they are there so that this game can grow with us as the girls get older.

For now, the ease of use and durability of Bop It! XT has proved that this is a lighthearted, entertaining game that builds hand-eye coordination and gives your brain a little workout each time it is played. While Big Sister E continues to work on beating her score, I can't help but laugh when Little Sister B gives a big, "Ohhhhh!" and giggles about getting two or even three correct.

Retailing for $24.99, Bop It! XT can be purchased directly from Hasbro, in stores near you, and on Amazon (for $19.99). Whether played alone, in a group or at a party, there is fun to be had when this game is involved!

Thanks to the generosity of Hasbro, one person will find out just how much of a Bop It! XT champion they are as well, because...

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Hasbro on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook. 1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN Bop It! XT from Hasbro for a fun, fast-paced addition to game night! http://bit.ly/HxJJqC @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on April 25th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning and the giveaway sponsor is solely responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Hasbro for providing Bop It! XT for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.